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Bye Bye Transmission?

NewGuy1

Go Kart Champion
Hi Guys,

My car has a DSG transmission and has always been a bit clunky noise wise and slow from stop,
which seems to be typical with these units from what I'm told.

But lately I have been getting a code thrown when attempting to go in Reverse.
This leads to the car unable to reverse until i turn it off and on again.

The only code being thrown is P2711 "Unexpected Mechanical Gear Disengagement"
Which seems to boil down to a mechatronics replacement or a clutch assembly replacement.

How can I tell which one needs to be replaced?
And do typical used replacement transmissions come with both installed still or is a component typically gutted?


From what i see online new replacement mechs cost ~1000 and clutch ~600.
But a used transmission same as mine i can grab for ~750.
Anyone have experience with these options?

Thanks!
 

TyroneShoelaces

New member
I am closely watching this post as well. New to the forum and just bought a 2011 GTI with a DSG that is having the same issue. I don't know the history on the service and haven't changed the oil yet. I have the same error. I am wondering if VCDS or OBD11 will show more detail if there is faults in the mechatronic unit if there are solenoids faulting? I have read lots of old threads and it seems most end up with clutch packs. It sounds like early on there was mechatronic issues that fixed it but later units don't have the same issues.
Where are you seeing prices on those parts? The cheapest I've seen clutch pack was about $750 online somewhere I was looking.
 

Grabbit

Go Kart Champion
If you are doing the work yourself and have access to VAG-COM/VCDS, I would try a fluid change and clutch adaption process mentioned here to see if that corrects it. How many miles on the trans? Maybe during the fluid change you could pop the end cover off the trans and look for metal shavings on the end of the pulse wheel (see below). There are several magnets and pulse wheels that will collect metal shavings in the trans and if excessive, might prevent the mechatronics sensors from determining the position of the selector shafts. The magnets on the selector shafts are visible with the Mechatronics removed and could be cleaned without having the trans removed. I had 119k on my DSG when I took it apart for installing an LSD. All of the pulse wheels and magnets had some form of very small metal shavings on them. I cleaned them before putting it back together and it has run great since.


Pulse Wheel.JPG
 

TyroneShoelaces

New member
Awesome info Grabber. Yes I had watched a DAP video, or some other one, maybe a canadian guy, where they did just that, pulled that cover and took a peek around. I was looking at putting in a quart of Liquid Moly trans cleaner then changing the oil. I feel like the way it's behaving with it attempting multiple times leans more to gear selection rather than the individual clutch disks being worn. Like you can hear it clunking 4 times trying to engage. A couple times it doesn't try at all. Not slipping, just a box full of neutrals.

I did do a clutch adaption through the gas pedal and ignition but it's hard to tell if it actually worked. It didn't make noises like the vcds video I watched.
 

NewGuy1

Go Kart Champion
If you are doing the work yourself and have access to VAG-COM/VCDS, I would try a fluid change and clutch adaption process mentioned here to see if that corrects it. How many miles on the trans? Maybe during the fluid change you could pop the end cover off the trans and look for metal shavings on the end of the pulse wheel (see below). There are several magnets and pulse wheels that will collect metal shavings in the trans and if excessive, might prevent the mechatronics sensors from determining the position of the selector shafts. The magnets on the selector shafts are visible with the Mechatronics removed and could be cleaned without having the trans removed. I had 119k on my DSG when I took it apart for installing an LSD. All of the pulse wheels and magnets had some form of very small metal shavings on them. I cleaned them before putting it back together and it has run great since.

I did fluid change and clutch adaption less than 10K ago, 129K on trans.
There were no shavings at the time but who knows now.

Ill plan to pop of mech cover and see if shavings are excessive, need to order trans fluid first then.

Where are you seeing prices on those parts? The cheapest I've seen clutch pack was about $750 online somewhere I was looking.

General part retailers, ecs, fcp, cascade.
and used trans is the local euro part place for me.
 

TyroneShoelaces

New member
There is a trans local to me as well but at the same mileage as what I have. No point in swapping that in without a clutch pack I figure so might as well replace mine. If the mechatronic is bad well that is much easier and doesn't require dropping the trans so in my case I want to know which is failing.
 

Grabbit

Go Kart Champion
^ Thats about the same amount of shavings (maybe a hair more) I had when I pulled my trans apart this summer. I had 118k on it and have done DSG fuild/filter changes every 20-30k mile since I've owned the car at 28k. No issues since I've owned it.
 

Grabbit

Go Kart Champion

TyroneShoelaces

New member
I'll have to read that other post. I glanced over it. Yikes. I pulled the mechatronics cover and everything looked fine there. No metal dust but I couldn't see another filter or magnets either. Refilled with oil, need to get it up to temp then set the level and do the adaption but the battery was dead. I'll try with the ignition and gas pedal procedure as I haven't bought obd11 yet. I'll post up the results. Fingers crossed.
 

TyroneShoelaces

New member
Update on mine in case anyone is following, I haven't really put many miles on it yet. I'm waiting on some registration stuff (insurance auction car) so can only drive around the neighborhood. So far no code yet but need to drive it more. One thing I'll mention is that doing the fill and drain was interesting. I drained about 4 liters of fluid out, including opening up the covers. When I put 5 liters in and brought the car up to the specified temp and opened the one drain, NO extra fluid came out. All of the videos I watched looked like half a liter drained as it set it's level. NONE on mine. My car was level on jackstands. Not sure what that's about. Time will tell.
 

Grabbit

Go Kart Champion
^ I'd throw another liter in there and then check again. The fill tube is sort of like the dipstick on the DSG, if you aren't getting any fluid coming out after refilling, you're low on fluid. How low? No easy way to tell.
 

TyroneShoelaces

New member
So far so good. Got registration on the car and have put probably 30 miles and no code coming back for the tranny. Before the fluid change and speed wheel cleaning it would come back after just a minute of gear changes. I have to order obd eleven to clear the airbag code and I'll probably get a litre of fluid at the same time and add that to the tranny and reset the level.
 
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